Overall djokovic has by far the best serve out of the three. Murray's first is as powerful but not near as consistant as djokovic's. Murray has an awful second serve. Nadal's serve does it's job in the way that it is very consistant, but it is easily attacked and not a weapon. Djokovic has a great first serve and second serve most of the time, so he clearly wins here.

Overall djokovic has by far the best serve out of the three. Murray's first is as powerful but not near as consistant as djokovic's. Murray has an awful second serve. Nadal's serve does it's job in the way that it is very consistant, but it is easily attacked and not a weapon. Djokovic has a great first serve and second serve most of the time, so he clearly wins here.

It's actually a good question. You could put them in any order I think. Murray has the weakest second serve, but I think he has the strongest first serve. Nadal has the best second serve, but arguably the weakest first serve, and Djokovic is in the middle of them both.

Shouldn't we rank their serves on average? That way Federer's serve at the 2007 US Open would be miles ahead of anyone of today.

Murray - probably has the best serve of the 3 but also the lowest 1st serve %, can hit a bomb when BP down, usually on the ad court.
Nadal - very underrated serve, especially when going out wide, sets up his big forehand beautifully, also hits high 1st serve %
Djokovic - everything he does with his serve is on a 5-6/10 level, that includes consistency, slice, kick, reliable, doesn't break down often

I would say for first serve it is Nadal > Djokovic> Murray, but I think Murray's first serve is now better than Djokovic's.

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The link you posted showed first serve percentage, not first serve points won in 2011. In 2011 Nadal won 70% of his first serve points on HC, Novak won 73%. On all surfaces it was 74% to 71% for Novak, and he won 86% of his service games to Nadal's 83%, and this year it is 88%-87% for Nadal.

In terms of serve as a pure shot, I would rate their first serves

1. Murray
2. Djokovic
3. Nadal

and second serve Djokovic/Nadal is debatable, with Murray a DISTANT third.

Overall, I'd say Novak from 2011-2012 (who knows if Nole 2010 will resurface) is the best server of the three, followed by Nadal then Murray. Why is Murray last? Because his second serve is one of the worst in the top 50, and he doesn't get his big first serve in enough. Sure, it's big and he hits aces, but his serve is the least reliable and it reflects in the year-to-year stats too. If Murray ever improves his second serve, it'll be the best of the three by far IMO, and when his serve is on its the best of the pack. But, reliability is important.

I pick Murray's easily. Second serve is not so important as people think. Good players don't give their oppenents free points on second serves even if the serve is very good. Murray when down break points can hit 130 on T especially on advan side. Murray this year gets lots of aces and a huge amount of forced errors off his big serve. Nole gets some aces but not as many forced errors as he lacks brute force of a Murray serve. Nadal is good but his forehand after serve makes his serve look very impressive. Murray now serves in big matches above 60% consistently so the point of him serving low percentage does not exist anymore for the time being. Therefore I would pick Murray's serve first then Nole, then Nadal.

In what universe is nole ahead of Rafa in serving?? For many years he averaged more doubles than aces!!! Plus Rafas lefty slider on the deuce court is a killer! But djokovic you can argue on average has a faster serve

In what universe is nole ahead of Rafa in serving?? For many years he averaged more doubles than aces!!! Plus Rafas lefty slider on the deuce court is a killer! But djokovic you can argue on average has a faster serve

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I agree that Nadal's serve has been better for the most part, it's just his last year or so that's been a bit off I think.

...and by the way, isn't the slider to the ad-court? Or am I totally wrong here?

Ratings aside, for his height at 6'3", lenth and flexibility and his level of skill, Novak has such an average serve. He arms it too much. with a better motion he'd be cracking 130+ all the time.

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ironically, djokovic has the most sound service motion of the three. his serve is the most fluid and is without any sudden jerks and hitches. it's efficient and utilizes his whole body, not just the legs, not just the shoulder, not just the hips, but all in unison. that said, he could really utilize more of his legs add more fodder into his kinetic chain. his stance is sort of in between platform and pinpoint, and his right leg doesn't as much as the left. his flexibility in his rotator cuff, though, is impressive. it's a pity he just seems content to brush up at the ball to get the point started at times and just doesn't crank it up as often as murray.

murray, despite having more hitches in his serve and a shorter range of motion in the shoulder, has the more potent first serve. his legs and hips really help him snap into the ball and his almost exaggerated follow through really allows him to go through the contact point on first serves.

Nadal's serve is underrated and Djokovic's serve is a little overrated IMO. Murray's first serve is a bomb and his second serve is improving, in a few years I have no doubt he'll be a better server than the other two.